The Quest
by tess.untitled
Summary: Oh, he so wants you and I bet you know it!" Loker said as he followed her down the hall. Callian.
1. Chapter 1

I was starting the 4th chapter of "Congratulations" when this idea crossed my mind…

*giggles*

Don't owe "Lie To Me" or its characters… would be a nice Christmas gift though.

--

The sound of the tennis ball hitting the white wall over and over again; drops of sweat rolling down the elegant and now blushed face; the already worked out body moving across the court gracefully; blood rushing through the veins at a high pace; an elevated breathing rhythm yet controlled…

Watched in slow motion it almost seemed to be a dance but the truth was that it was an exercise to control the anger and the stress caused by the amount of hours spent working.

"**Gillian?" **

A young man entered the room and started walking towards the woman that kept playing like nothing had happened.

"**Gillian?"**

He called out again before realising that she was actually listening to music. He tried to catch her attention with a few random gestures before deciding on moving closer to her. He approached her carefully and touched her arm quite gently while the ball was still away from both of them.

Gillian jumped slightly before turning around and looking at her _personal _trainer with a quite embarrassed smile.

"**Yes?"** She asked as she stopped the music.

"**I'm afraid you will have to cut your exercise plan short." **

She raised an eyebrow as grabbed her towel and her bottle of water.

"**Another call from Dr. Lightman…" **

She rolled her eyes once she heard _his_ name as she knew that meant trouble… for her, of course.

"**He said – and I quote –, « Why the bloody hell does she think cell phones were invented? »." **

She gave him an apologetic smile as she reached out for her phone and noticed the fact she had received a new text message from her _partner_ asking her to pick up Emily from her friend's house.

"**An extra hour tomorrow." **

She said before leaving the room, making her way towards the lockers' as she needed to grab her things and, at least, wash her face so that she could feel human again.

Her eyes met her reflection in the mirror once the cold water made contact with her skin.

Her hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail, definitely not as tight as the short dress she was wearing though. She had bought it at an Adidas store as one of her girlfriends **–**probably the only one she still felt comfortable around **– **had told her it was the best equipment to use at the gym for playing that kind of _sport_.

She remembered the exact day she had bought it as she had laughed at its name as it sounded way too professional – Adilibria Wimbledon Dress. It was white, had 33.5" back length and embraced her body in such an intimate way that she had promised herself she wouldn't ever wear it outside the gym unless it was an emergency.

Was this an emergency?

Cal had asked her to pick up Emily and take her to the office but he hadn't said he was in a hurry. So why was she in a hurry? Or wasn't she?

Was it just an excuse for her to see his reaction to it?

She rolled her eyes at her own thoughts before grabbing her gym bag and leaving the building, walking towards her new car that she had brought from the stand earlier that evening.

She had looked at it and had studied its features for many weeks as she had to drive by the stand on her way to the Lightman building every single day. She actually blamed the fact she had spent all that money on that… even though she couldn't hide the fact that she loved it and that it made her feel powerful.

Oh yes, the 2008 CTS Cadillac… that red, sexy and comfortable machine made her smile and hey, she had deserved it after the horrible divorce she had went through.

It hadn't left her sad but the whole process and time she had dedicated to it had depressed her till no end.

She unlocked it and rested her bag on the back seat before getting into the driver's one. She turned on the ignition before using the data from Cal's text to turn on her GPS so that she could find where Emily was and a way to actually get there.

Pulling away from the parking lot, she carefully followed the directions the device gave her so that she didn't get lost on her way.

She confirmed the information she had used to set the machine before parking in front of what seemed to be a mansion.

She left the car and looked at both sides, studying her surroundings before shrugging and starting to make her way towards the door. It took her literally five minutes to cross the path that divided the garden and lead to it.

Once there, she took a deep breath before knocking.

"**Hello. Can I help you?"** The woman that appeared on the other side of the door asked her, her voice filled with doubt as she checked Gillian from head to toe.

"_Y__ou should have changed, Gillian."_ She thought to herself before recomposing herself and smiling.

"**Hi. I came to pick up Emily… her father is stuck at ****a very important meeting and asked me to come instead."**

"**Oh! You are Emily's mother! I am so sorry… I didn't recognize you! Want to come in? EMILY!"** The other woman asked before taking a step back inside her house but not really giving Gillian space to move.

Gillian noticed by the voice tone that she was just being polite and that her question wasn't really an invitation but a cultural obligation.

"_Oh, Cal would love this."_ She smiled at that thought before raising an eyebrow and shaking her head slightly once the rest of the information sank in.

"**Huh, I am not her…"**

"**Emily? Sweetie? Your mother is here." **She yelled out again, interrupting and ignoring Gillian for a moment before turning back to her. **"She will be right down."**

"**My mother?"** Gillian heard Cal's daughter voice coming from a certain distance. **"What is…"** The younger's train of thought was interrupted once her eyes met Gillian. **"Oh, hi! Dad trapped at work again?"**

"**Yeah. He asked me to tell you he's sorry. I am taking you to the office…" **She said softly as she rested a hand over the younger's shoulder before focusing her attention back on the other woman.** "Thank you for having her. Have a great evening."**

Emily thanked her friend's mother before they both turned around and started walking towards Gillian's car.

"**So… my mother?"** Emily said with a humorous voice tone, teasing Gillian as she looked for the older woman's car.

"**I am so sorry. I tried to explain but she wouldn't listen…"** Gillian let out a breath she didn't notice she had been holding before pressing the button to unlock the doors.

"**It's…"** Emily stopped moving once she saw the lights that had turned on once Gillian had pressed the button.

"**Woah. That explains why I couldn't find your car… for a second I thought you had walked all the way down here from the gym."** She moved closer to the car.

"**You should totally let me drive to the office, **_**mom**_**."** She giggled before opening her door, not realising that her little joke had made Gillian's heart skip a beat.

Gillian took a deep breath before opening her own door and getting inside, buckling her seat belt.

"**You do know your father would kill me if I allowed you to drive without a license, right?" **She asked the younger girl as she pulled away from the parking spot.

"**He wouldn't have to know… but I don't think I would like to start by driving a new car… you know, there are many walls around."**

Gillian let out a healthy laugh before shaking her head slightly at the younger's comment.

"**It'****s all about practising, you know… once you start and get used to it, it will stop being a headache for you and someone else's nightmare." **She winked at Emily before focusing her attention back on the road.

"**Yeah… I do think I am going to ask Dad for a few lessons**** though…"** Emily said. **"Just in case there's an emergency…"** She quickly added.

"_Or __just in case you feel like creating an emergency…" _Gillian mentally slapped herself again about her decision on wearing the dress.

"**You know what, we should take dinner to the office…"** She said a few seconds later. **"I bet your father is hungry and I am starving…"**

"**Thai?" **The younger one asked excitedly.

"**Sounds like a plan."** Gillian said with a smile.

The trip to the restaurant was fast and mostly silent as Emily had turned on the radio and they had both gave in to the soothing melodies.

"**Here we are…"** Gillian unbuckled her seat belt as she took the keys from the ignition and turned off the radio. **"You mind helping me with the bags?"** She asked as she opened the back door.

They divided the food's weight between them and together made their way inside the building, chatting animatedly about Emily's school and her friends' problems.

"**Are you sure you don't want me to talk with Emma? She might need a hand… or two."** Gillian said before they both started laughing as they walked into Cal's office.

The sound reached his ears, making him aware of the fact that he was no longer alone but in the company of both his daughter and his _partner_.

"**Did I miss the party's invitation?"** He asked, raising an eyebrow as he studied their faces.

Gillian rolled her eyes at his remark before putting the bags over his desk and sitting down in one of the free chairs.

"**Stop it, Cal. We brought you dinner so be nice."**

"**Thai?" **He opened one of them and didn't hide the smile fast enough for Gillian not to see it.

"**It was my idea."** Emily said as she sat down by Gillian's side**. "Oh Dad, did you know Gillian bought a new sexy red car?"** She asked as she grabbed one of the cartons.

He grabbed one of his own before focusing his attention back on Gillian whose cheeks were slightly reddish.

"**Anything else you want to tell me, luv?"** He eyed her suspiciously as she shook her head and silently reached out for her food.

"**You women are too weird sometimes."** He rolled his eyes and leaned back on his chair, starting to eat.

Gillian was about to comment on that when there was a knock at the door.

"**Please, be a **_**man**_**."** Cal said teasingly. **"Come in."**

Gillian couldn't help but giggle once she saw Loker walking in.

The younger man raised an eyebrow before rolling his eyes and focusing his attention on what had brought him there.

"**Boss… I need you."** When he realised that Cal was about to stand up he shook his head. **"I mean, **_**Boss Lady**_**."**

It was Gillian's turn to raise her eyebrow questioningly before standing up slowly.

"**Wow, someone is dressed to kill."** Loker commented instantly as his eyes met the figure of the woman that was now standing right in front of him.

"**Say something like that again and you will be my**_**first**_** victim."** Gillian was officially regretting her decision when she turned around to set her carton over Cal's desk and found him staring at her.

She fought hard but she wasn't able to hide her victory smile before leaning over the desk a bit.

"**You need a napkin?"** She whispered mischievously before clearing her throat.

"**You two enjoy your meal… I will walk by here later to get my share."** Her eyes met Cal's again and she felt a bit taken aback by what she saw…

Was it Lust? Longing? Desire? Passion? Love? _All_ of them?

She shook her head slightly, breaking eye contact with him before sighing imperceptibly and turning around to leave the room.

"_That woman is going to be the bloody death of me."_ Cal thought for himself as he followed her movements with his eyes.

"**Oh, he so wants you."** Loker said as soon as they walked outside and she closed the door behind her.

Gillian hit Loker's arm warningly as she glared at him.

"**Shut up. You must be hallucinating… Have you eaten?"** She knew she was deflecting and she mentally slapped herself yet again for doing it so naively.

"**He so does."** He added, smiling triumphantly at her.

Gillian rolled her eyes and started making her way down the hall.

"**Let it go. Didn't you need my help?"** Again.

"**Oh, ****he so wants you and I bet you know it!"**

**--**

I hope you liked it.

I think this would be a nice one-shot but I had actually thought about carrying on… what do you think?

Anyway, thanks for reading!

R&R if you feel like it!

Hugs,

Reesa.


	2. Chapter 2

I am so sorry it took me so long to update this story as well! As I said before, I have been working like an insane person! Anyway, I still don't have Internet.

Oh dear I have a serious case of Internet addiction… I guess my symptoms fit the diagnosis. Ops, I think I need professional help…

Well, while I don't have internet to google specialists, I will keep writing.

Still don't own LTM… but I think I will ask the Internet Company to buy it for me as a recompense for the 24 hours I survived without an active connection.

--

"_Oh, he so wants you and I bet you know it!__"_

Gillian stopped moving as soon as she heard Loker's comment and turned around to face him. As she didn't announce her move, he almost ran into her. She rested her hands on each hip and looked deeply into his eyes.

Loker, amused with the whole situation, raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"You need to learn when to let go." She said with a serious voice tone.

"And you need to learn how to have some fun." He said matter-of-factly.

"Just because I don't share the definition of fun with you, it doesn't mean I am not having any."

He noticed her almost imperceptive grin and the sparkle in her eyes – he had been trained to see those from a distance and he was just a few inches from her.

"I knew it! You are playing the game!" He said excitedly, studying her face closely.

Her puzzled look made him laugh, causing her to yet again hit him in the arm, this time with more strength.

"What the hell are you talking about?" That expression coming out from her mouth earned a whole new meaning.

"I am talking about the hell you are making him go through." Loker replied, winking at her as he walked to the lab where he needed her help. "But don't worry… your secret is safe with me."

She rolled her eyes at his remark, following his lead. She stopped behind the chair where he sat down. She looked up at the screen as he showed her a few images from a meeting he had had with the chocolate company that had asked them for help.

It seemed like the chocolate company had been accused by a few consumers of selling chocolates already out of date. The company's president had called in desperation, begging them to save the company's good name.

"So, what do you have in mind?" She asked, leaning over his shoulder to reach for one of the buttons on the keyboard as she wanted to go back to one of the first images he had showed her.

"Did you really just ask that?" He inquired suggestively as he looked down from her eyes to her cleavage and then back to her face. He just adored bothering her.

Gillian gave him a look that made him turn back to the screen, not because he was ashamed of what he had just done but because he was trying hard not to just laugh on her face as he knew that if he did that she would probably talk to Cal and he would end up without salary again.

"Anyway, nothing better to find the truth then having the quest intervenient confronted with the reality they fear the most." He said confidently, searching the web for the address from the building where the company had its headquarters.

"So we should go there, try their chocolate and pretend to be having the symptoms the complainers had?"

"We would have to make sure the employees at stake were the ones to serve us too." He said. "We got a list of names by e-mail earlier this afternoon." He added, pointing to the other desk where he had left a printed copy of the document.

"You think that will do?" She asked, going to get the list before returning to her spot.

"I say we roleplay." He completed his plan reassuringly, making his chair spin so that he was now staring directly up at her.

"Sounds like a plan." She said, running a hand through her hair, looking down from the screen to him.

"I guess we have got ourselves a deal." He winked up at her before turning around again.

"Are we still talking about the case?"

"Boss Lady, don't pretend not to understand what is going on."

Gillian sighed deeply, realizing she had just accepted the challenge to prove him wrong about Cal wanting her and, even worse than that, realizing that he was about to start pretending to be interested in her to make Cal jealous.

"And I thought we were already roleplaying…" She answered with a fake coy smile, patting his shoulder before turning around to leave.

"I so knew you were playing!" He said with a smile as he shook his head, not taking his eyes from the computer. "And hey, we are going to have lunch tomorrow."

That last comment made Gillian stop right by the door and turn around yet again.

"Why are you telling me that?" She asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"Because you are a terrible liar."

She rolled her eyes as soon as she heard his answer.

"Have a good night, Loker." She said, leaving the office.

"See? Terrible liar indeed!" He yelled out loud enough from where he was standing so that she would hear him.

"If the Boss knew…" He shook his head yet again before focusing his attention back on the chocolate case.

"This is going to be very interesting." Gillian mumbled to herself, giggling childishly before recomposing herself as she was about to walk back into Cal's office.

--

I am so sorry this is short chapter and even sorrier it is kinda crappy… but I am having so much fun with this story already!

I know where this going and I just can't stop laughing at Cal. Poor guy.

Anyway, R&R if you feel like it.

Ya know I luv y'all,

Reesa xx


	3. Chapter 3

Guess what? I am still alive! Fascinating, huh?

I am so sorry for taking so long to update my stories… I will try and write more often, okay?

Anyway, I will leave you to it.

I own nothing but my house, my computer, my coca-cola, blah blah blah…

Yes, still don't own Lie To Me or any of its characters.

*sighs*

... ... ... ... ...

Marriages change people.

When you reach the altar and say _yes_, you are saying _yes_ to a lot of questions that you might not even be aware of.

Will you make dinner every night? _Yes_. Will you clean the house while I play poker? _Yes_. Will you bring me another beer? _Yes_. Will you tell my mother that I am not home at the moment? _Yes_. Will you stop wearing short dresses? _Yes_. Will you stop working late? _Yes_. Will you stay home and raise the kids? _Yes_… Wait, what?

Oh _yes_, marriages ask for more than love and passion. They ask for friendship, openness, honesty, respect, organization, tenderness, commitment…

Getting him or her to propose is surely not the hardest part, my dear friends, so keep that in mind while you think whether you are ready or not to say that little innocent word – _yes_.

... ... ... ... ...

Gillian walked back into the office, finding Cal and Emily still sitting on the exact same place in what seemed to be an awkward father/daughter silence.

"Don't mind me." She said ironically, bending over the table a bit so that she could reach for her food and her cell phone.

"That will be bloody hard, luv." Cal murmured under his breath before clearing his throat and looking at Gillian while she gathered her things and then sat down by his daughter's side.

"So…" Gillian said as she crossed one leg over the other one, resting her cell phone on her lap before taking a small bite of her already cold food.

"So…" Cal repeated as he leaned back on his chair, staring at the woman sitting in front of him.

He couldn't help but let his eyes travel along her body that was so well defined under that little dress of hers. He wondered if she was a good tennis player… or maybe a good squash player… if she had enough strength on her beautiful long arms…

"So Dad wants to invite you for lunch tomorrow." Emily blurted out, quickly filling her mouth with dessert so that she would have an excuse not to answer questions or make any comments for a while. She could feel them both staring at her but she decided to try and ignore them, playing it cool.

"Emily…" He said with a warning voice tone to which his teenage daughter replied with a shrug as she was still chewing.

"Cal… it's okay." Gillian smiled, putting her carton over his desk as the food didn't taste that well anymore due to its temperature. "You know I would love to have lunch with you… I always do… but I am afraid I already have a lunch date programmed for tomorrow." She replied calmly, her eyes quickly finding his.

Cal sat straight on his chair, studying her face closely and carefully.

She surely wasn't lying to him about this date of hers… and she didn't look embarrassed for it either… but there was something wrong with her face… she was hiding something behind that sweet neutral expression of hers… something about her eyes…

He raised an eyebrow once he realized that she was actually teasing him… she had put him in that situation just to see his reaction and she was enjoying the result… but still… the date was real…

Why didn't her behavior make any sense to him?

_Women_.

"And I thought we were done with surprises for today…" Cal's tone was humorous and the small smirk that took over his face meant he was truly amused.

Emily's eyes travelled back and forth from her father's face to Gillian's until she stopped and decided to look down at her dessert.

"I don't really get you two… you are dancing tango together but apart…" The girl said, sighing deeply before moving the fork with the last piece of dessert closer to her mouth. "I just don't get you... Adults." She shrugged yet again before taking the last bite.

Gillian couldn't help but laugh at what she read on Cal's face once Emily was done speaking.

Both father and daughter turned to her.

"What?" They asked in unison.

Gillian shook her head in disbelief, a sassy smile still playing on her lips.

"I should go…" She announced, running a hand through her hair before standing up, careful not to throw her cell phone to the floor. "It is getting late, the food is cold and I do remember baking a chocolate cake this morning and it is waiting for me at home." She added before bending over and placing a kiss on Emily's cheek. "Goodnight, honey. Take care of your old man, alright?" She asked before turning to Cal and giving him a cordial nod, then making her way towards the door.

Her hand was resting over the doorknob when she felt an arm being wrapped around her waist and a hand being spread over her stomach, rubbing it softly before applying some pressure so that her body moved closer to his.

"What about me, luv? Don't I deserve a goodnight kiss?" Cal asked in half a whisper, letting his lips rest against the soft skin of her neck once he moved her hair away with his free hand.

She leaned back against his body and allowed herself to enjoy the closeness before letting out a deep breath she wasn't aware she had been holding.

One of her hands travelled down to meet his over her stomach and she laced their fingers together before moving both away so that she could turn around and face him.

Her eyes searched his and she realized he was still wearing his mask, not allowing her to see behind the Great Wall of China that he liked to keep around him.

Sometimes she wished he would always keep it down while she was around… sometimes she found herself wishing to be given the only copy of the key to the gate… but she always found herself being confronted with the reality. He trusted her… but not enough – or so she thought.

She sighed quite deeply before slightly leaning over and letting her lips find their way towards his… cheek. She felt his body tense up… she knew that was a sign of protest and disappointment but today she wasn't going to allow him to go any further… not when she was starting to play the game… not when she had learned that he knew the rules and had already placed his own bets.

"Night Cal." She smiled against his skin before turning around and leaving the room.

The silence was broken by a laugh.

"Nice try, Dad." Emily commented from her chair.

"Nice try, Cal." Gillian said as she pressed the button to call for the elevator.

... ... ... ... ...

And that was it!

More will come as soon as I finish the next chapter of "Congratulations".

R&R if you feel like it!

See you soon,

Reesa.


	4. Chapter 4

If I got paid each time I apologize for being late with fanfiction chapters, I would be seriously rich by now. Ooooh, then I would be able to buy "Lie To Me" and get it to continue till the end of times! :D

Anyway, I AM SO SORRY! I know I promised to post an update a long time ago but I have been well… an idiot and not writing. I hope to be able to write more regularly now… I do love it, you know?

Thanks for the awesome reviews, btw. :) You guys deserve the best chapters ever and that's what I will try to give you… soon, anyway.

I don't own "Lie To Me" – yet – but the fingers that typed chapter four are MINE! LOL.

P.S. I will be changing my pen name to tess_untitled so that it matches my twitter account.

… … … …

Gillian was about to leave her house in the morning when she received a text message from Loker. She instantly raised an eyebrow but before she had time to read the message, he was already calling her.

What the hell was wrong with him? It was way too early for him to be going to the office and she did know he liked to sleep in so what was going on?

"What's up Gillian?" She heard him say right after she pressed the button to accept the call.

"How come you are calling me G…" She stopped mid-sentence and rolled her eyes as she realized what was going on. "He is there, isn't he?"

"Oh yes, just got here… Decided to call you to check if we are still up for lunch… Oh, by the way, have you had breakfast?" He asked, leaning back against the lab door, looking relaxed and quite happy.

Cal Lightman had just walked into the building and Loker had been just standing there. He had never seen the young man _just_ doing anything. He had found it weird as the other man used to be late as he defended that people should be allowed to wake up naturally, meaning that using an alarm clock was a crime as it could ruin someone's dreams and dreams are very important because they give clues on what your day is going to be like.

Still, something was really off today though. It was way too early for him to be there and he was already smiling and his I-am-here-but-still-sleeping-so-leave-me-the-hell-alone expression wasn't on his face as usually and there were no clues of its past existence on his voice tone either. There was something going on and it was an anomaly to their routine. Cal Lightman didn't like anomalies.

Cal shrugged and walked straight past him till he heard Loker saying her name. _Gillian_. Since when were they on a first name basis? He stopped and turned around, deciding that he should have a word with Loker about the new case he had and didn't want the young man to have anything to do with. Wait, that didn't make much sense, did it?

Oh well, truth was that he had to learn more about what was happening between Loker and Gillian. It was probably nothing but what if it was something? Whatever it was, whether it was something or nothing, he needed to know. Why? _Because_! What if Loker was trying to get into Gillian's pants? Cal would surely defend her because she was his best friend and because he was the one, correction, the _only _one who belonged there.

"Oh, he is turning around… he looks surprised… oh… he's walking towards me… the mask is up already… he's damn good at lying…" Loker said in a lower voice tone before adding a laugh like they had just shared a private joke.

Gillian was getting slightly mad but the last comment that Loker shared with her had made her smile. Her relationship with Cal had always been complicated but hey, all relationships have ups and downs, right? They had always kept the line close by mentioning it but the truth was that the line was just another invention to make them come up with original ideas of getting closer to each other without crossing it. That was probably what had brought them even closer to each other. They knew exactly where to linger to be over the line but not on the other side of it.

They were walking together, each on their side of the line but holding their hands together over its trace.

"Oi, is that Gill?" Cal asked as he stopped right in front of Loker, doing some weird hand gestures before pointing directly at the phone the younger man was still holding close to his ear.

Loker only had time to nod before Cal reached out and grabbed his phone, ignoring the concern expression that took over the young man's face. "Morning love."

Good thing Cal was too busy with his own thoughts because he then ended up missing Loker's victory smile.

"Cal?" Gillian asked, resting her weight on her hand that was still on the keys that were still in the lock as Loker had called right when she was about to close the door to leave. "Good Morning."

"Everything alright, darling?" He asked. He knew he wasn't as good as Gillian when it came to analyzing voice tones but he could still try, right? And it was Gillian. And when it came to Gillian, it was _totally_ worth it.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Gillian questioned, not being able to hide the curiosity and the cheerfulness that her voice had gained as she had started to connect the dots of Loker's master plan and to see the bigger picture in her head. It was going to be _fun_.

"Oh, no reason… just felt like hearing you voice, that's all." He had been expecting the question but once her voiced reached his ears he forgot every single insensible answer that had crossed his mind and was then forced to improvise. His tone had then been soft and caring but he quickly brought up the wall of china again by clearing his throat and giving the phone back to Loker. He then resumed his walk to his office and, without looking back, he added loudly, "If you are in early, use your time wisely and do some work, will you?"

Loker rolled his eyes and walked into the lab, closing the door behind him.

"Do you now see what I mean?" He asked as he put his cell phone back to his ear.

"Loker… is there something important you _must_ tell me right this moment? Because if not, I do need to get to the office, you know…"

_Deflection._ Loker smiled to himself and sat down on his chair, turning his computer on and logging into his personal account.

"Of course not, Dr. Foster. Just wear red, will you?" And with that he hung up.

"Red?" The question came out of her mouth too late and the only reply she got from the other side of the line was the usual _beep_ sound that meant that whoever had called her had hung up. "Men." Gillian mumbled under her breath.

There she was, though. She had her hand on the keys that were still in the lock. She couldn't help but wonder what had crossed Loker's mind the moment he told her to wear red.

Rolling her eyes, she unlocked her house's door and walked inside again. She was already late so why not stop for another second to change into something red? Loker wasn't Cal but he was still a man and if he said red was a good idea, she didn't see why she wouldn't give in and wear it.

"It is one of my favourite colours." She said to herself as she opened her closet and started looking for something red. _Rationalizing_ a bit too much, are we? Nah, _never_.

She ended up finding a dress she had bought quite a few weeks ago but had never worn. "Oh yes, definitely my favourite colour." A smile took over her face yet again as images from the day she had tried it on crossed her mind. It fitted her in all the right places and she knew someone who would love it as well.

"People are way too predictable when they are in love." He commented before sighing as he noticed he had no new e-mails from his friends or from the fellow researchers with whom he was constantly in contact with in case they found any interesting clues in which he could dive in and spend another day working on. "Mmmh… I bet I could actually do some research on that." He said, his voice regaining the tone of excitement that was characteristic of it.

Love… to someone, a headache; to others, their paycheck; to the employers and employees of the Lightman Group, _both_.

… … … …

So… I hope you enjoyed that.

Feel free to R&R. :D Reviews are LOVE!

Will hopefully see y'all soon,

Tess.


	5. Chapter 5

YAY! It didn't take me ages to write this chapter! *does happy dance*

It feels slightly different from the other ones but I hope you still like it.

I wanna thank you all for taking the time to read and review.

It makes me happy to make you happy.

I don't own Lie To Me but I love it!

Here it is... Chapter 5 of "The Quest".

P.S. I apologize for the possible existence of typos... it's kinda late and I am REALLY tired.

... ... ... ...

Cal Lightman was sitting on his couch.

_S__itting_ isn't probably the best word to describe his position on his favourite sofa but you wouldn't find yourself wanting more information on how his feet were positioned if you walked into his office because, not only was his body talking as a whole, his face was also yelling out the silent thoughts that kept playing in his mind like a song you pick up at the cafe; yes, the kind of song that takes you home by the end of the day and puts you to sleep before waking up on your lips, causing you to move to its beat till you turn on the radio while driving to work and find another stalker-song.

Cal Lightman hates anomalies; he hates them so bad that he just can't help himself but wonder about the reason behind Loker's early arrival to the building. He knew it had something to do with Gillian but what could it possibly be? If something terrible had happened he would have been the first to hear about it, right? But then again, if it had been such a terrible thing, would Loker be laughing in the hall and calling Gillian by her first name?

No, that made no sense at all. Actually, the whole thing didn't make any sense and it was driving him insane.

Cal Lightman gulped and sat straight on his couch once a certain thought tickled his mind. _It_ couldn't be, could it? No, Gillian would never go for such a person, would she? No, of course not. Loker wasn't her type. He couldn't be. He was too young for her. He was too much of a... he was just too much. Oh, and there was always his crazy thing... his so called _radical honesty_. Who would possibly want to date someone who is radically honest? No one! It must be annoying. No, it _is_ annoying.

He wrinkled his face before closing his eyes and covering them with one of his hands. Alec had cheated on Gillian. He had been cheating for quite a while and Cal knew. They had both known and none of them had been courageous enough to approach her and tell her the truth.

He felt guilty. He hadn't been the one to sleep with the other woman but he felt like he could have done something to avoid her pain. And he didn't. He had watched her life just like another movie, forgetting that he also had a role on it; a role that he wished was a main one and that seemed to be about to be stolen by a younger actor with no experience. Maybe that was what she really needed. Maybe that was what she truly wanted.

"Maybe I should just stop being a _bloody_ idiot and ask her!" He only acknowledged the fact that he had said that out loud because his mouth suddenly felt dry.

He sighed deeply and stood up from his couch, looking around at his office, half-expecting to read the answers he was looking for on the faces of his white walls.

The silence that had been surrounding the Lightman Group building was then broken by a sound that caused him to instantly smile.

Gillian looked at her reflection on the elevator's mirror once again before abandoning it and making her way towards the main doors. _Home_, she thought as she found herself in the hallway. Not finding anyone there even though she was already running late, she made her way directly to her office, her black heels kissing the floor loudly and confidently, announcing her presence to whoever cared enough to pay attention to the already familiar sound.

She rested her briefcase over her desk for a couple of seconds so that she could take a few files from the inside before putting it on the floor, by her desk's side. She then turned around so that she was facing the blinds and slowly opened them up, letting the day light invade her office. The sun was shining that day and somehow that made her feel reassured.

Cal Lightman was about to knock at the door when his eyes met her figure. She was looking through the window, her back turned to him. He decided not to interrupt her and to study her from a distance instead. He then started to notice that a few things had changed about her. Her hair had grown and her curls were barely visible but she hadn't changed the cut style. Her skin was looking slightly tanned or maybe that was just the morning sun light embracing it, also causing it to look like the most expensive silk... or cashmere... or any kind of rare texture soft to the touch. He wished he could run his hands down her arms; he wished he could explore her body till his fingertips new every single inch of her by heart...

_Red_.

Her dress was _red_.

He licked his lips, wishing he could trace the lines of her body with his tongue; wishing he could taste her in his mouth... Oh yes, only then he would be able to say he had tasted heaven. But he wouldn't say it out loud, of course. No, he wouldn't be stupid to the point of telling the world he had found paradise because he knew the world too well... he knew the world well enough to be sure that it would try to steal her from him. No, he would whisper it in her ear instead... he would tattoo it on her neck with his lips.

"I want you..." Yes, those were the words that abandoned Cal Lightman's mouth; those were the soft words that travelled all the way across the room and had found the warmness of her skin. And the curiosity of Loker's ear.

"You want her..." Repeated the latter, causing Gillian to finally turn around and acknowledge the presence of both men in her office.

Cal came out of his trance at the sound of Loker's voice and found himself speechless. What the hell had just happened?

He was no longer sure of what he had said. Had he voiced all his thoughts? He hoped not. How was he going to deal with this situation though? He was surely not used to be put on the spot like this without a previous warning.

"Yes, I want her." He heard himself say.

"Get in line!" Said Loker, causing Gillian to blush profusely.

Cal felt his heart cringe to the sound of that but he quickly put his armour back up, his eyes reflecting the indifference that was everything but real.

"I want her help." He told Loker, sending him one of his cold looks before focusing his attention back on Gillian, just in time to catch a hint of disappointment that she quickly covered up by sitting on her chair and finding her comfortable position that yelled professionalism.

"Do you have a few minutes for me, love?" He asked, raising an eyebrow inquiringly.

A cloud covered the face of the sun for a while and that caused the atmosphere in Gillian's office to darken as well as her mood.

"As long as you make it quick." She answered, hiding her sadness in the tear that stood quietly in the corner of her eye.

"Meet you for breakfast in 30 minutes then." Added Loker before abandoning the office, closing the door behind him. He had said that for two reasons. First, he knew she would need a reason to run away from that office and from that meeting with Cal. Second, he had to plant the flower of jealousy quickly because it seemed like it was going to start raining in heaven soon and jealousy needs a lot of _water_ and care to grow. Loker had planned on taking care of both but it seemed that the rain was going to be all on Cal.

... ... ... ...

I am not sure whether this is a good or a bad chapter but I had loads of fun writing it.

I have the feeling that it is slightly sadder than the others but well... I seriously hope you enjoyed it!

I ain't sure if I ever told you guys how much I love reviews so... I LOVE REVIEWS & THEY MAKE ME SMILE! :D

Share a smile, will you?

See ya soon,

Tess.


	6. Chapter 6

You guys are so awesome that I can't even start describing how much I love you all. Thank you so much for the kind reviews, really. 3

Anyway, as I promised, here I am again… publishing yet another chapter of "The Quest".

I do hope you are enjoying reading this story as much as I am enjoying writing it!

Still don't own Lie To Me… I know, sad little life.

Chapter 6:

… … … …

Gillian Foster watched Loker abandon her office before focusing her attention back on Cal Lightman.

She leaned back on her chair, taking the time to cross one leg over the other one, making it look like some sort of ballet movement; the kind of movement that would only turn out right if taken enough time for each phase of the process to be completed with the requested elegance.

Long ago had she mastered that art but she was the only one that had yet to acknowledge how well she had actually mastered it. I guess the dilation of Cal's pupils should work as well as having 2000 judges evaluating that simple yet _bloody_ sexy movement on national TV, but apparently she didn't seem to notice their size… or maybe she just didn't want to, after what had just happened.

Yes, she was definitely ignoring it as there was no chance she would miss such a change while staring directly into his eyes through the whole process. Or maybe she did see it but didn't associate it with herself. Maybe that was why she felt like she was on her dangerous mood.

Mmmh…

Could he be thinking about another woman while standing right in front of her? Could he be day-dreaming about another woman in her office? That wouldn't be fair now, would it? No, that was definitely not fair. Who did he think he was? He couldn't walk into her sanctuary and start destroying the dreams upon which she had built all the invisible memories that were now hanging on the walls. He couldn't just turn them into ghosts. No, she wouldn't let him do that because she already had enough ghosts in her life. This was her _home_ and she wouldn't let him destroy it, no matter what.

She raised an eyebrow inquiringly at him and waited for him to speak, to say something about whatever had brought him to her office and was still keeping him there.

But nothing was all that came out of his mouth.

They had plenty of silent conversations. I mean, due to their expertise, it was easier – at least most of the times – to understand each other without using the so very deceitful and fallible words. But today she wanted him to go the extra mile for her; she wanted him to actually try to find the perfect ones to establish a connection with her…

Today, she was officially locking her feelings inside and letting her brain speak instead; today, she was a player. And playing is what players do.

"Are you planning on speaking any time soon or what?" She finally asked, breaking the silence with a voice tone that had sounded much gentler than what she had intended to.

He studied her face carefully but there was nothing for him to see there.

Nada.

Niente.

Her face was as clear as a while canvas but he knew that behind all that whiteness she was hiding emotions which colors were as many and as different as the palette that defines the rainbow. But he had caused her to bring her guard back up and now it seemed like she was in the mood to do everything but let it back down.

She had always been hard for him to read, even when she undressed her soul in front of him. And now, now it seemed nearly impossible to get anything from her but words. And he knew how little words meant to her.

"Gill… what I said earlier…"

The small reaction he had gotten from her once he called her Gill had given him some confidence and hope but he soon found himself losing both as she interrupted him.

"Yes, you mentioned something about needing help so… what's up?" She asked, trying to act casual, trying to act like she had no idea of what he was trying to say.

Maybe that extra mile was more like a _marathon-length_ one.

He broke eye contact for a moment and looked down at his feet, trying to think of something else to say, something that wouldn't cause her to go defensive on him.

Watching his movements closely, Gillian found herself leaning over her desk just slightly as his eyes left her own, focusing on a spot bellow her face. That had a special meaning. That meant that he was nervous and not at all comfortable on his spot.

She didn't know whether she felt good or bad about it. Sure, he did that to her a lot of times but was it _healthy_ to pay him back in the same coin? Whatever the answer to that question was, there was no turning back now.

Taking advantage of the fact that he was no longer studying her, she gulped and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly so that the sound wouldn't betray her and expose her uncertainty about the whole situation.

"Will you have lunch with me, love?" He finally said, looking back up as soon as he heard himself finish voicing the question.

She hadn't been expecting that. No, she had expected him to leave her office; she had expected him to play idiot and say something stupid that he would end up regretting; she had expected him to just keep staring at her till one of them gave up and did something about it.

But instead, he asked her out for lunch. No, he hadn't said that they were having lunch together. No, this time it was different, this time he had actually asked if she was interested, if she wanted to, if she was in the mood for it.

She felt her heart skip a beat while the _yes_ started tickling its way out of her mouth.

She had to stop herself though as she suddenly remembered that she already had lunch plans. She couldn't believe it… she was going to have to say no to an actual lunch with Cal because she had lunch plans with Eli Loker. This couldn't possibly be happening to her! There was something very wrong with the world.

"I am afraid I can't… I already have plans…" She said, the disappointment in her voice matching the disappointment written all over his face.

He nodded as he put both his hands on his jean's front pockets.

"What about dinner?" This time he shrugged, meaning that he would be willing to do whatever she asked him to do in exchange for some quality time with her… alone.

He felt a small smile creep up his face as she slowly started to show him her thoughts again. Reading the indecision that was playing in her eyes, he quickly added, "At my place… I will cook us something nice… we will have a glass of wine… and then we could discuss the reason why I need your help... more privately." He raised an eyebrow expectantly while he waited for her to answer.

"Yes." This time the _yes_ came out of her mouth with no previous warning or announcement, causing Gillian's cheeks to go slightly pinkish. "I guess we could do that…"

His small smile grew into a truthfully cheerful one, reaching his eyes that thanked her directly with a wink. "Meet me at my house around 8 PM, darling." And with that, he too left her office, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Alright, the day had started as an amazing day but then it had become horrible but now it seemed like there was a slight possibility of turning into something good again. Just like a breeze, we never know for how long it's going to blow in a certain direction or when it's going to change.

That was her life. Just like the weather channel.

… … … …

I must apologize for any possible mistakes because hey… it's 2:30 am and I can't say anything perceptible in my mother tongue, let alone in English. LOL.

Do feel free to leave a review behind if you decide on reading this chapter! *wink wink*

See y'all very VERY soon,

Tess.


	7. Chapter 7

THANK YOU for your awesome REVIEWS! If I weren't for you, I wouldn't be writing. You know that, right?

Alright, Dr. Callian asked me to remind you guys of voting for Lie To Me because it truly is the best show ever! Don't forget, kay?

Anyway, here it is… the one and only… chapter 7!

Woohooo! *does happy dance*

HAVE FUN!

P.S. I still don't own LTM. Too bad, huh? :/

… … … …

Gillian was still sitting at the exact same spot, her head turned towards the door from which Cal had abandoned her office just a few seconds ago. Or had it been minutes? She wasn't sure anymore as once he had left her sight she had dived into her thoughts, not afraid of drowning in them for the first time in quite a long time.

And now she was floating.

What _kind_ of help did he need from her?

She started biting on her lower lip as quite a few ideas crossed her mind; ideas that made her blush profusely. She knew she shouldn't indulge her own fantasies but for some reason he had asked her out instead of talking to her right on the spot, right there in her office. And they weren't even going to have dinner at a restaurant like they usually did when they had to discuss business. No, this time he was actually going to cook for her. _At his place_.

She had had dinner at his place before but they hadn't done anything like that in a while. Now that she was actually thinking about it, the last time they had shared a meal at his place had been on Thanksgiving.

"_Almost a year ago"_, she thought to herself as she sighed deeply, making her chair spin so that she was yet again facing the window.

God, it was scary to look at how things had changed since then. She could still remember the warmness of that day on her skin. She had felt what it was like to have a family again and she had absolutely loved it; she had felt at _home _and she missed that sentiment of _belonging_ somewhere and/or with _someone_.

The noise resulting from her cell phone vibrating over her desk made her wake up to reality. She sighed deeply before turning around yet again and reaching out for her phone. She raised an eyebrow once she read the name "Eli Loker" on the small screen. _Again_.

What could he possibly want now?

The content of his message reminded her that she was supposed to be having breakfast with him. She thought about texting him back saying that she was busy at the moment and that she would see him for lunch instead but then she remembered that they weren't playing this game just because of her. And now that she was feeling a lot better about herself and was excited about her dinner plans, it was the perfect time to play her little role.

She got up from her chair and made her way towards the small cafeteria they had in the building. She wasn't surprised to find half of the staff there. It was a slow morning and they were all having coffee, exchanging their last words about their personal lives as the group would have to part soon so that each of them could go to their own office and focus on work. That was basically their routine and Gillian knew that if she came by at the lunch time, she would find them there again, discussing whether to go out or to eat right there.

She stood at the doorway for a few moments, letting her eyes search the room for the familiar shape of Loker. She spotted him near the coffee machine and she couldn't help but smile once she realized that he wasn't alone. Ria Torres was actually talking to him and seemed to be pretty interested in whatever they were discussing.

"_You are playing with fire, Loker."_ Gillian thought to herself before shaking her head slightly, her smile growing bigger. "Good thing you enjoy getting burned." She whispered, running a hand through her hair before starting to confidently walk in their direction.

She said hi to a few people she walked by but she didn't take her eyes of Loker, causing some of the employees to wonder who was the reason behind that smile and the glow that seemed to have taken over her every inch.

Cal was _her_ right answer; Loker would be _their _only one.

"I am sorry for making you wait for so long…" She said softly as she rested one of her hands on Loker's arm, causing him to shift his gaze from Ria to her. "Ria." She added, acknowledging the other woman with a smile.

"_Good God! __Wow, this woman is trouble."_ He thought to himself as he saw the predatory look that was playing on her face. He wasn't sure of what had happened between her and Cal but he was 100% sure that it had been juicy because Gillian was officially exuding sexuality.

"Looking sharp, Boss Lady." He commented appreciatively.

"Why, thank you." She turned around in a full circle and smiled. "It's a new dress. I think I am in love with its color." She added, savoring each word as it left her mouth. For some weird reason she felt incredibly sexy. Could that have something to do with the look she had seen earlier on Cal's eyes?

"It is indeed a nice color. Looks quite great on you." Ria said, taking a sip of her drink while indiscreetly analyzing the interaction between Loker and Gillian. Was it just her or there was an actual spark going on between those two?

"What can I get you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow inquiringly.

Gillian bought the tip of her index finger to her lips, thinking about the question for a second.

"Do you know if there is any chocolate pudding available?" She finally asked, her eyes shining in anticipation.

Cal, who had been on his way to the lab but had stopped by the cafeteria as the sight of Gillian's dress had caught his attention, was now leaning against the doorway, watching her actions closely. He wasn't sure of what she was trying to do but he was definitely curious enough to decide on sticking around and trying to find out. Was it just him or she was looking seriously sexy at the moment?

He licked his lips almost mechanically. Was she trying to kill him? Not that he didn't deserve it but God… at the moment he actually believed he wouldn't mind being killed by her. Anything to get her attention. Anything to get her, really.

Ria watched Loker as he walked towards the fridge to get Gillian a chocolate pudding. She was incredulous. There was something wrong there. And there was also something weird going on inside her. Why was she suddenly feeling jealous of all the attention Gillian was getting? She had never felt that way before but then again, Loker had never paid that much attention to their boss.

Loker returned in less than a second and gave Gillian her pudding and a spoon.

"Thank you so much!" Said Gillian with the sweetest smile on her face. "You are a life savior." She leaned over and kissed his cheek softly. "Don't forget lunch." She added, stealing a glance at Ria before turning around and walking towards the door.

She allowed her victorious look to take over her face as she reached the door, finding Cal standing there, pretending to be staring into space for a second.

"Very well played, Dr. Foster." He finally said as she reached him.

"Why, thank you, Dr. Lightman." She said with a huge grin.

Like in every great game, there are always two players, but this time they weren't playing against each other, but together, for a common good. They just weren't aware of it. _Yet_.

… … … …

Can you tell that I had loads of fun writing that? *giggles*

I hope you enjoyed it as well!

Do leave a review if you feel like it. ;)

See ya soon,

Tess.


	8. Chapter 8

OK. It took me ages to write this… I kinda got lost in the middle of it 'cause I watched the last episode of Private Practice and almost collapsed over my keyboard. I promise that the next one will be better, alright? :) Do forgive me.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS, btw. You guys kinda ROCK the world!

I still don't own Lie To Me. *sad face*

Chapter 8:

… … … …

Gillian took the first spoon of pudding to her mouth and closed her eyes in delight as the chocolate flavor teased the taste buds on her tongue.

Cal, witnessing the whole thing, made a mental note to advise someone to keep the stock of chocolate puddings at its maximum. That woman was _dangerous_.

She could make a pudding look sexy, for God's sake. That wasn't normal, was it? Well, he didn't really care. As long as he was allowed to watch the scene, he would not complain. He just wished he could taste that pudding directly from her mouth but that wouldn't be considered a complaint, would it? Of course not. It was more like a…

He lost his train of thought as Gillian opened her eyes again and gave him the happiest smile he had ever seen, lighting up the room instantly. How could he not be in love with her? How could anyone not be in love with her? She was _perfect_. And he wished she was his… his _perfection_.

"Enjoying ourselves, are we?" Cal asked, grinning as she smiled sweetly at him before nodding. How could she not? With the amount of sugar she consumed per day, she probably exhaled sweetness. Not probably. She _did_ exhale sweetness. And sexiness. And a few other things he tried to erase from his mind as he was still standing in the middle of the hall and most of the staff was just a few feet away.

"I know I am." She added to her smile, giving him a spoon wave before turning around and making her way towards her office. She could feel his eyes on her back and that _might_ have been the reason why her hips started to move to the beat of an inexistent song that seemed to be playing loudly on her ears. Too bad she wasn't aware that the song's rhythm matched Cal's heartbeat. That would have been an interesting discovery for her. And for him too, for that matter.

"So you want to play, huh?" Cal whispered to himself as he allowed his eyes to follow Gillian while one of his hands searched his pocket for his cell phone. "The game is on, Foster."

"Love, what kind of flowers would you give to a woman you like?" He said on the phone, starting to make his way to his own office as Gillian disappeared from his sight.

"Dad." He heard his daughter's voice tone from the other side of the line and quickly realized what he had just asked her.

"I know that came out wrong but you understood it, right? Please, don't mess with your old man's brain." He told Emily, thinking to himself that his partner was already enough of a challenge for him to deal with. They both drove him insane but at the moment he was truly interested on Gillian's side of the question.

"Should I even ask?" The silence answered the young girl's question. "Alright…" She decided to carry on, convincing herself that she would get an answer from him sooner or later. "I guess I would go with roses. You can never go wrong with roses."

Cal stopped to think for a second, staring at his office's door before opening it only a few seconds later.

"Aren't roses _too _safe? Aren't they a bit _too_ ordinary?"

Emily rolled her eyes at her father's comment. But she quickly froze, raising an eyebrow a second later as she finished doing the math in her head. Her father knew that the person who would be getting the gift would read into it… Wait there a second! Could it be? A smile took over her face. He was giving Gillian flowers! Luckily, she knew just what to give to her father's partner to cause her to smile.

"Orchids." She finally said.

"Orchids? Are you sure?" He asked as he closed the door behind him and walked to his chair. "What kind of orchids?" Aren't there thousands of kinds of those _things_?" He turned his computer on.

"_Dad_." Her voice sounded like a warning. "Just google it. Buy the rarest ones, will you? Don't forget to write something nice on the card, okay?" And with that, she hung up.

"Thank you." He said sarcastically as he put his cell phone over his desk and typed orchids on Google.

"Bloody hell…" He mumbled under his breath as he was confronted with thousands of pages containing information and phone numbers to stores.

After a while he was so tired of looking at those pages that he just called a random number and asked the woman on the other side of the line to give him a hand. He said it was a gift for a very special person and that he would like it to be delivered in about 3 hours, right before lunch time. At midday. Yes, that would be when she would be getting ready to leave the office to go have lunch with Loker. _Perfect_.

After choosing what to write on the card, he finally decided to ask how much he was going to have to pay for that. He almost had a heart attack but he was able to say that he would pay it through the internet as soon as possible.

"Just because you are worth it, love…" He said out loud as he pressed the button that allowed him to pay the flower company through his bank's website.

Gillian was about to finish one of the last reports she had to write that day when there was a knock at her door.

"One more minute, Loker… I am about to finish…" She said, her eyes not leaving the screen as she thought that it was just Loker asking her if she was ready for lunch.

"Huh…" That simple sound made her look up from her work just to find herself staring at a guy holding what seemed to be a vase with flowers. "Gillian Foster?" The young man asked as his eyes finally met hers.

"Yes, that would be me." She nodded, her hands leaving her keyboard and coming to rest on her lap as she studied him suspiciously.

"I have something for you…" He said, setting the vase right in front of her. "Would you mind signing here?" He asked as he showed her the papers.

"Who are these from?" She asked before taking another look at the flowers. Her mouth opened in an O kind of shape once she realized that she was looking at a rare orchid. "Do you know who sent this?" She asked him again, anxiety filling the blank spaces between her words.

"I am afraid not. It does have a card…" He said but quickly added, "Would you mind signing this first, though? I must leave."

"Oh, sure…" She blushed slightly, putting the card down and reaching out for the papers instead, signing them quickly before returning them to him with an apologetic smile. "Thank you."

She waited for him to leave her alone before opening the card and reading what was written on the inside of it.

"_And your very flesh shall be a great poem"_

Gillian leaned back on her chair and held the card in front of her eyes. She recognized the verse to be from one of her favorite poets, Walt Whitman, but besides that, she didn't really understand the meaning of it because there was no context whatsoever. Was someone making fun of her? Mmmh, it didn't sound right. The flowers were expensive. Someone was trying to send her a message… but who would it be?

Her brain was working at high speed when her cell phone started vibrating over her desk again, making her jump slightly on her seat. She sighed deeply before shaking her head and reaching out for her phone.

Loker. _Again_.

She raised an eyebrow as she read the texts' content. Was he really telling her that he wouldn't be able to have lunch with her because he had to work with Ria? Since when did he spend his lunch hour working? Mmh… it really depended on what he meant by _working_. He hadn't really defined it, had he? Oh my, he certainly hadn't.

Gillian stayed another second in silence before starting to laugh like she had just heard the funniest joke ever. She was a good player. She was feeling like such a good player that she started doing a little celebration chair dance while laughing to herself. At herself, really. At Loker too, though.

"Oi love, what's so funny?" He couldn't help but wonder if she was laughing at the flowers or at something else. At the moment he was praying for it to be something else. It had to be something else or he had just lost the game. And he had _never_ lost the game before. But then again, he had never played with such a gifted opponent. Was she even aware of how much she had already raised the bet? By the way she was laughing, she seemed to be totally oblivious.

For the second time in a matter of seconds she jumped on her seat, which only made her laugh even harder.

"I am sorry…" She said in between laughs, still trying to catch her breath. "I think I just got stood up by my lunch date, that's all." She said, wiping away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks because of all the hard laughing.

Cal couldn't help but smile. Not only at her cuteness but also at the fact that whoever had been creating the triangle between them had just erased one of its sides.

"I guess you are free for lunch then?"

Those words made Gillian stop giggling almost immediately but the sound faded out quite nicely like a song played by one of those campaign cars that drive up and down the street. When they are gone, you can still hear the sound on your ears for quite a few moments till it fades completely.

It was a very simple question but there were many others behind it. If she said yes, would he say they should have lunch instead of dinner? And if he did, it meant that she would spend less time with him and that it wouldn't be as private as it would if they actually went to his place. Should she say no, then? Should she try to come up with something to avoid lunch? Mmmh, what was she going to do?

… … … …

I blame this end on the fact that I have been working on interactive narratives. LOL.

I hope you are still alive and don't feel like killing me.

Do leave a review behind if you feel like it, okay? :)

Hugs,

Tess.

P.S. Next chapter will be up very soon, alright? Much love xxoo


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